Celebrating cinema with cocktails!

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SFIFF 2014 — Opening Night revels

Director Hossein Amini, with Rachel Rosen, Head of Programming and new Executive Director, Noah Cowan

What a wonderful homecoming! Back in town for the San Francisco International Film Festival and hilariously, after a wonderful Opening Night film and party, a photo of me appears in the SF Chronicle! My friend Joanne Parsont, Director of Education for the San Francisco Film Society, is attempting to share her gelato with a belly dancer from the party!

It’s not too often that you come to town for a film festival and show-up in the paper the next day!

The 57th SFIFF, the oldest running film festival in the Americas, presented the Opening Night film at the glorious Castro Theater. The Two Faces of January directed by Hossein Amini was a crowd-pleaser with strong performances and beautiful cinematography. A directorial debut for the celebrated screenwriter of Wings of the Dove and Drive, it was surprising that the story was the weakest link. An adaptation of a Patricia Highsmith thriller, it was difficult not to compare it to The Talented Mr Ripley. There just wasn’t enough tension or plot-twists and though suspenseful; The Two Faces of January seemed a bit flat. Oscar Isaacs gives another remarkable performance as a man in over his head and Viggo Mortenson has a chilling turn but there was sense of waiting for the twist that never came…

The party at Public Works was light on food but not crowded. There was a lively crowd of film-lovers and a great band–there was dancing and libations and fun to be had! Even the drizzle outside was offset by the Indian Street Food truck serving tater tots covered in masala sauce and cheese. As the belly-dancers shimmied in the night, we devoured the gelato and celebrating the kick-off of another world-class event!